Place 6 cups* fresh fruit (exceptions listed in list of fruits) in large mixing bowl. Add entire contents of EASY AS PIE and 1 Tablespoon melted butter or margarine. Mix together well and let stand for at least 1/2 hour, giving time for the fruit to juice and soften the thickening agents.

NOTE: If using a fruit that is exceptionally tart add 1/4 cup sugar (or more to taste) before mixing filling ingredients together.

IMPORTANT: For specific fruits and tips for pie varieties please read the following list of fruits.

NEXT: Just follow the crust recipe and baking instructions below. You may either purchase a pre-made pie crust from your grocer’s freezer or use the recipe included for making homemade crust.

CRUST RECIPE:

Ingredients:

1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup Crisco

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon cold water

DIRECTIONS:

1. Using a pastry cutter, combine the first 3 ingredients until mixture resembles coarse corn meal. Add water all at once and gently mix with a fork just until all ingredients are holding together. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Refrigerate or let stand on counter for at least 1/2 hour which allows time for dough to agglutinate – making it much easier to handle.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

3. Separate dough into 2 sections – one a little larger than the other.

4. Sprinkle the surface of the counter liberally with flour. Roll out the larger section of dough, flipping it over two or three times while re-flouring the counter as needed, until it will fill a 9-inch glass pie plate (use glass for best results) extending about 1/2 inch beyond the rim. Cut off any excess dough and return it to the bowl with the remaining portion of dough. Pour the fruit filling into the bottom crust using a spatula to get all the goodness. Roll out the remaining dough and fold in half on the counter. Cut slits in center to allow venting of steam. Place it at the halfway point on top of pie filling and open it all the way. Press the dough together all around the edge then crimp it with your fingers. Brush the top with a little milk and sprinkle with a little sugar. If cinnamon has been added to filling, you may also sprinkle on top.

BAKING INSTRUCTIONS

All fruit pies will bubble over so be sure to put something on the bottom oven rack to catch the drips. Pie drippings that end up on the bottom of your oven will burn and cause your smoke detector to go off.

You can make your own drip catcher out of 2 pieces of 16 inch aluminum foil. Place the two foil pieces on top of one another and make a half-inch fold all along one long edge, fold this over another 1/4 inch along the entire length again. Now open it back up and turn the edge up all around forming a circle as you go. Place it on the bottom rack of your oven underneath the rack your pie is on – which should be baked in the center of the oven.

Bake for 35 minutes at 400 degrees then turn the oven to 375 degrees and continue baking for another 25 to 35 minutes. The pie should now be bubbling. If it is not bubbling, leave it in a few minutes longer until you can see the juice bubbling out of the pie. Turn off the oven and either remove the pie to a cooling rack, or let it cool slowly for about ½ hour with the oven door ajar and then remove from oven—which may aid in a flakier bottom crust.

For best results allow pie to cool completely before cutting. Fruit pies taste better at room temperature and refrigeration is not necessary if the pie is to be totally consumed within 2-3 days.

Thank you for trying EASY AS PIE. We hope to become a favorite staple on your pantry shelf.